This document summarizes the increasing competition and conflict between world powers in Eastern Asia from 1890 to 1945. It describes how a weakened China was vulnerable to exploitation and domination by Western and Japanese imperialist ambitions. Japan emerged as the dominant regional power after defeating China in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and Russia in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). By the late 1930s, Japan was at war with China and sought to contain Western and Russian influence, leading to its involvement in World War II against the Allied forces.

1. Wor ld-Power
Competition
i n
Easter n Asia,
1890-1945.

2. Wars have inevitably been fought to win
p o s s e s s i o n o f r e s o u r c e s
( m i n e r a l , a g r i c u l t u r a l , h u m a n ) .

3. C. 1900, world-power competition sharply
increased amongst industrializing nations
which rapaciously eyed Asia--(especially
China)--for resource oppor tunities.

4. T h e a n c i e n t
state of China
p o s s e s s e d a
v e n e r a b l e
civilization, large
population, and
a b u n d a n t
resources; yet, due
t o g r o s s
mismanagement,
d e c a d e n c e a n d
c o r r u p t i o n , t h e
Chinese state was
w e a k a n d
v u l n e r a b l e .

5. Nearby Japan
t o o h a d a n
ancient culture
plus traditions
o f m a r t i a l
p r o w e s s .

6. Japan & Russia
had an especially keen
interest in
Korea & China
due to geographic
proximity and
geo-strategic
considerations of
national security.

7. Thus, despite
C h i n a ’ s
v o c i f e r o u s
o b j e c t i o n s ,
B r i t a i n ,
G e r m a n y ,
R u s s i a ,
France, and
J a p a n
s o u g h t t o
cut up the rich
Chinese pie.

8. For Japan, control
o f K o r e a w a s
a critical first step
t o w a r d s
g e o - s t r a t e g i c
security (vis-à-vis
Russia and China).
A f t e r K o r e a ,
M a n c h u r i a
would be the next
target. To wit was
launched the First
Sino-Japanese War
(1894-95) wherein
Japan captured
Korea (and Formosa).

9. In A.D.1900, in exchange with Britain
(t h e n ove r ex t e n d e d i n t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n
W a r ), Japan received 1 million £ for
militar y assistance in China to
suppress the “Boxer” Rebellion.

10. I n 1 9 0 2 ,
Britain and
J a p a n
s t r u c k a n
A ng l o-Ja panese
Tr eaty (expir ed
1 9 2 1 ) w h i c h
tremendously
b e n e f i t t e d
J a p a n ’ s
w o r l d
power status.

11. In 1904, Japan bested Russia
over Korea a n d Manchuria.

12. The chaos of China at that time virtually
beggars description: civil war, foreign invasion,
disease, flood, famine, unemployment, addiction,
crime, corruption, and revolution; then, in 1911, the
last dynasty (Qing) fell in total disintegration.

13. D u r i n g W W I , J a p a n o c c u p i e d G e r m a n
positions in China (1915), then, after the
c o m m u n i s t r e v o l u t i o n i n R u s s i a
( 1 9 1 7 ) , i n v a d e d S i b e r i a .
Incredibly, Japan had aspirations to entirely
s e v e r e a s t e r n S i b e r i a f r o m R u s s i a .
The task, however, proved too much even for the
canny Japanese, and finally in 1922 the project
w a s a b a n d o n e d ; h o w e v e r ,
a n t i - c o m m u n i s t s e n t i m e n t s r e m a i n e d
s t r o n g i n J a p a n e s e c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

14. Fr o m t h i s t i m e o n
( 1 9 2 0 s & ’ 3 0 s ) ,
Japan’s goals for
K o r e a a n d
M a n c h u r i a
(Manchukuo) included
rationalization and
m o d e r n i z a t i o n t o
facilitate some degree
o f c o ö p e r a t i o n ,
c o e r c i o n a n d
m a n i p u l a t i o n f o r
e x p l o i t a t i o n ,
expr opriati on, and
d o m i n a t i o n .

15. S e e i n g
communism
a menace in
Asia, in 1936
J a p a n
s i g n e d a n
a n t i -
c o m m u n i s t
alliance with
P r u s s i a
(Germany) in
o r d e r t o
c o n t a i n
R u s s i a .

16. In 1937, Japan inaugurated full-scale war on
China (Second Sino-Japanese War): like a
degenerate gambler, Japan doubled-down on its
l o s s e s o f t r a d e , b l o o d , a n d t r e a s u r e .

17. In 1939, Japan found
i t s e l f o n c e a g a i n i n
combat with Russia;
and by 1941, Japan
w a s i n g l o b a l
w a r w i t h C h i n a ,
B r it ain , a n d USA.

18. © T u l l y A t k i n s o n , 2 0 1 9